Sesame Place celebrates grand opening of ‘Sesame Street’ Neighborhood

Sesame Place recently celebrated the official grand opening of its all-new Sesame Street Neighborhood, which reflects the show’s vibrant set of today and offers a truly authentic experience, making guests feel as though they’ve stepped right onto the street they know so well.

The celebration kicked off with a lively performance featuring two stars of the iconic children’s program: Sonia Manzano, who portrayed Maria for 44 years, and Alan Muraoka, who joined the ensemble 20 years ago.

The park is also taking part in a season-long celebration honoring Sesame Street’s 50th anniversary with several fun and festive photo spots throughout the park. This season sees the debut of a new live show and the addition of Snuffy and Gonger to the cast of characters at Sesame Place.

“It was incredible to see the looks on our guests’ faces as the Neighborhood came to life,” said Cathy Valeriano, Sesame Place park president. “Sesame Street has touched so many lives over the past five decades. It’s an honor to have even a small part in helping to bring that special magic to all those who visit Sesame Place each season.”

“As Sesame Street celebrates its golden anniversary, we’re thrilled to continue working with dedicated partners like Sesame Place who share our commitment to creating engaging and joyful experiences for families,” said Scott Chambers, senior vice president/general manager, North America Media and Licensing, Sesame Workshop (the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street). “The new Sesame Street Neighborhood allows children and families to have a closer connection with the Sesame Street characters they love, while helping the Workshop sustain its mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger and kinder.”

All-new interactive character elements and famous spots including Hooper’s Store, the 123 Stoop, Abby Cadabby’s Garden, and Big Bird’s Nest are among the new photo opportunities to capture lifelong memories. The new live show “Our Street is Sesame Street,” featuring Elmo, Abby Cadabby and Big Bird, can now be seen several times daily, in addition to other live shows and a larger-than-life daily parade.

For the first time ever, visitors can meet and take photos with Mr. Snuffleupagus and his best pal Big Bird in Abby’s Paradise Theater. Even Cookie Monster’s trusty cooking companion Gonger has joined in on the fun this season – guests can take photos with Cookie Monster and Gonger in their chef outfits.

Culinary enhancements to the park this year include: an all-new Marketplace at Mr. Hooper’s Emporium, which will offer grab-and-go options such as hoagies, wraps, salads, fruit and more; and an enhanced character dining facility, which is getting a brand new look and revamped kid-friendly menu.

Additional conveniences include: adult changing tables added in the men and women’s restrooms near Sesame Studio; a renovation of the women’s restroom near Big Bird’s Rambling River, which will include toddler-sized toilets; the inclusion of four private nursing areas, bottle warmers and changing stations for nursing moms in the Family Care Center; two quiet rooms available for guests in need of some quiet time and relief from sensory stimulation; non-invasive metal detectors to enhance security measures; and the Sesame Place App, which features a park map, daily show times and more.